So, that video-game/laptop thing I saw the other night was pretty good, if a bit overwhelming at times. dmzd and dev/null definitely convinced the crowd they've got that whole drill 'n' bass/composite buzzsaw of finely chopped breakbeats thing mastered, but there wasn't much in the way of dynamics to it. It was all a bit relentless in its relentlessness.

It was up to Hrvatski (a/k/a Keith Fullerton Whitman) to show 'em how it's done. He really knows how to structure this stuff so it builds, and plays with your sense of anticipation at both the larger scale and even within measures, playfully holding back on the things you were going to expect over a few more beats. The other guys were so intent on bowling you over that Hrvastki came off as the pop genius in comparison. It was very engaging when he was “air drumming” and conducting along during his performance. And like one of the other sets I've seen him down, he ended with a remix of that mother of all breakbeat sources, “Amen.”

I also caught Tegan and Sarah with O at the Somerville Theatre last week. Wow, I haven't seen such an overwhelmingly female audience since I saw Joan Armatrading at the Orpheum. Somehow those twins from Vancouver have managed to distill all the mildly edgy pop from their parents early-80s record collection (Prince, Pretenders, etc. etc.) and turned it into something of their own. I'm not exactly their “core demographic” but I have to admit they put on a great show. The Music Guy part of me also gives 'em extra points for telling about the time they saw TV On the Radio. The audience also really liked the opener, Communiqué, but I thought they were only worthwhile when they forgot which of the following they were supposed to be sounding like: Killers, Interpol, Franz Ferdinand.

S1's little birthday was a lot of fun; two of her friends from preschool attended and O made a fine Hello Kitty cake. Meanwhile, O's parents were in Lowell, where they reserved a condo that's in one of the renovated mills along the Merrimac. S0 is already making sleepover plans !

I don't know if you saw this, but it might have something to do with the $800 purchase at Sears that somebody tried to finagle on my credit card last week. And there was more, but I'm not liable for a cent. But it still bothers me that it was so easy to do this. One consolation, as far as I can tell, that the Internet isn't really involved in the break-in or the purchases. I guess copied receipts, social engineering, and fake cards are a lot easier ways to steal.